the Reddings shall wot of my coming. Are ye all-boun?"

"Yea," said Arnold, "we may up anchor this very day, or to-morrow
morn at latest. But what aileth thee, master, that thou starest so
wild over my shoulder? I pray thee take it not so much to heart!
Ever it is the wont of fathers to depart this world before their
sons."

But Walter's visage from wrathful red had become pale, and he
pointed up street, and cried out: "Look! dost thou see?"

"See what, master?" quoth Arnold: "what! here cometh an ape in gay
raiment; belike the beast of some jongleur. Nay, by God's wounds!
'tis a man, though he be exceeding mis-shapen like a very devil.
Yea and now there cometh a pretty maid going as if she were of his
meney; and lo! here, a most goodly and noble lady! Yea, I see; and
doubtless she owneth both the two, and is of the greatest of the
folk of this fair city; for on the maiden's ankle I saw an iron
ring, which betokeneth thralldom amongst these aliens. But this is
strange! for notest thou not how the folk in the street heed not
this quaint show; nay not even the stately lady, though she be as
lovely as a goddess of the gentiles, and beareth on her gems that
would buy Langton twice over; surely they must be over-wont to
strange and gallant sights. But now, master, but now!"

"Yea, what is it?" said Walter.

"Why, master, they should not yet be gone out of eye-shot, yet gone
they are. What is become of them, are they sunk into the earth?"